1967 Camaro and 1956 Bel Air

[Stanco]

Just joined the site it was suggested I post my alternate projects here.

I have a 1967 Camaro. My uncle bought this car in 1972. I was 15 years old and had a learners permit. He asked if i knew how to drive a stick shift and I remember proudly telling him I did. He tossed me the keys and a few moments later I was backing it out of his driveway and driving it down the road! I thought it was the coolest car in the world.

The car was my uncles daily driver for the next 13 years. i bought it from him in 1985. It was leaking oil and the clutch was slipping. Other than that it was in great shape. Here is what it looked like when i first bought it. Notice the skinny 14 X 5 inch rally wheels. It's a factory manual disc brake car and those wheels were part of the disc brake package and are original to the car. It now has 15 X 7 and 15 X 8 rally wheels but is still sporting the original disc brake center caps.







The body was in great shape but the original lacquer paint was checked. A friend of mine painted it in 1986. The interior is original except for the front seat covers which I replaced in 2012.

[Stanco]

My other project is a 1956 Bel Air. I went with a friend to look at this car he saw on Craigslist. It had been setting in a garage since 1977. It was an original 265 Powerglide California car in non-running condition He passed on it as he was looking for a turn key car, not a project. The add disappeared and in the back of my mind I kept thinking I should have bought it as it was such a nice original car.

Three months later the ad popped up again on Craigslist. This time I acted and the car was mine. Everything with fluid in it needed attention. Both the radiator and water pump leaked. The brakes were all stuck and the treadle-vac master cylinder was missing some critical parts. The carburetor was stuck and the fuel tank was a nasty mess. Oh yea, the tires were out of round from setting so long. The original interior was still in the car but it was in very bad shape. The seat foam had hardened up and when I sat on it made a crunch sound and ended up as a yellow powder on the floor.

The good news was the car had never been disassembled or even messed with. The body was rust free. Not one wire in the car had ever been cut. When I started it up it had good oil pressure and the generator was charging. The windshield wipers, heater, and all the lights worked. After I replaced the tires, fixed the brakes, repaired the radiator, and replaced the fuel pump and tank it drove well.

So the plan was to restore it back to original. Then I came across a nice big block 454 and started thinking it would be much more fun to drive with a big block, power steering, air conditioning, disc brakes, and a TKX 5 speed transmission. So that's where I'm at now.

[Stanco]

The decision has been made and the fun begins.

[7dee2]

Welcome, really great Camaro and the 56 project is pretty cool.

[joesscamaro]

Nice! Hard to beat a 1st gen Camaro with a good family history like that. The Bel Air looks like it's going to be a nice one too!

[62c30]

Two of my favorite cars

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

very nice cars! Also a fellow first gen Camaro owner here. On your 67 was it a factory 4 speed and was it a 210hp or 275hp car? My 68 was a factory 275hp/4speed and still is.

[3757chevy]

Very Nice. Thanks for posting. I can't wait to see the '56 done and to see what you do with your '72 Stepside. Again welcome aboard.